Every time, these creatures were invariably wiped out by Fang Zhou and his Skeleton Army, with even their souls being taken away. After effortlessly dealing with these stragglers, Fang Zhou earned dozens more points, extending his lead on the personal leaderboard far ahead of anyone else. His score rose like a steep curve, leaving all other contestants in the dust.

The other contestants in the arena could only watch through their personal terminals as Fang Zhou's score skyrocketed, leaving them with no clue how he was doing it. In contrast, the students watching from outside the arena had a clear view through Fang Zhou's first-person livestream and naturally understood the methods behind his precise and efficient hunting.

「」

Among the first-year students at Sea City Military Academy, a young female fan with an oval face said excitedly, "Back when Fang Zhou was hunting in Cave 1, he showcased an incredibly powerful scouting Skill. Now, it seems his scouting range has extended even further. Take that flock of Harpies from earlier. Even though they were far from him, he locked onto their position as if he knew where they were all along."

Her words were full of excitement and admiration, clearly impressed by Fang Zhou's performance. As soon as she finished speaking, the surrounding students all turned to the livestream, mentally replaying his astounding display.

Beside her, another first-year Seed Student glanced at Fang Zhou's livestream and said, "You might not have noticed something he did. When Fang Zhou first entered this forest, he used a Marvel to release a small, completely emerald-green bird. According to the Spirit Beast Atlas, this bird should be an exceptionally powerful scouting Spirit Pet at the Apprentice Stage—the Pearl Bird. The Pearl Bird's racial Talent allows it to share its vision with its contracted human Professional for a short time. I reckon this is one of the trump cards Fang Zhou prepared for this Rookie Grand Tournament. He uses the Pearl Bird's high-altitude vision to remotely lock onto approaching Demons, then relies on his own scouting Skills for precise identification. With these two scouting methods combined, it's almost impossible for any Demon to evade his Perception. That's probably the key reason he's amassed nearly 100 points in such a short time."

As the student finished speaking, the surrounding spectators nodded in agreement.

Indeed, Fang Zhou's combat prowess was beyond question. No one could deny it, especially after seeing his legion of several dozen imposing skeletons and the overwhelming Skill Effects of his Death Ripple and Skeleton Flying Spear. However, the fact that Fang Zhou, an Undead Mage, possessed such formidable scouting methods truly exceeded most people's expectations.

Scouting is particularly important on the battlefield, as it represents a form of foresight against the enemy. Therefore, the initial belief among the spectators that Fang Zhou would surely be killed at least once in a group assault began to waver. As long as he wasn't in special terrain and remained vigilant, it would be difficult for him to be cornered in such an open area.

「」

Within the dense, sunless forest, Fang Zhou couldn't see the sun's position and could only estimate the general direction as he ventured deeper. The Headmaster of Dragon City Military Academy had previously mentioned that the center of the battlefield was a ruined city. Since this was specifically emphasized, there must be some special significance or value there.

Fang Zhou glanced at his personal terminal, saw that he had established an absolute advantage on the leaderboard, and felt a surge of confidence. He led his Skeleton Army onward, exploring the depths of the forest. Along the way, dense waves of Death Ripple continuously descended from mid-air, slamming into groups of Demons and creating intense plumes of thick smoke. Several Jackal Wolfmen howled in agony under the magical assault, but Fang Zhou felt no sympathy. With the finishing blows from the Skeleton Army, these Demons ultimately met their end. Every attack was clean and efficient, and Fang Zhou's command grew increasingly adept. The skeletons coordinated seamlessly on the battlefield, resembling a well-trained army.

In the eerie and silent Dark Forest, even time seemed to slow under the dense shade and gloom. Fang Zhou lost track of how many times he had cast Undead Magic Ball or recovered his condition. In this forest, he was not the only hunter; every living creature was. In reality, the roles of hunter and prey could change at any moment. The conflict wasn't just between human students and Demons; vicious, bloody battles to the death also erupted among the Demons themselves. During this time, Fang Zhou had witnessed countless lone Demons being ambushed and killed by others working in concert. Numerous small packs were hunted down by larger clans, their bodies ultimately left as blood-drenched corpses. On this battlefield, the bloodshed and brutality never ceased.

As Fang Zhou was calmly checking his direction, he suddenly saw another point of soul-light emerge from the edge of his Soul Realm, rushing quickly toward him. This light, like a firefly in the night, was exceptionally prominent. Fang Zhou immediately grew alert, hastily commanding the remaining skeletons to close ranks in preparation for a powerful enemy. The skeletons swiftly adjusted their formation into a solid defensive line, ready for any threat.

Strangely, when the point of soul-light was just over thirty meters away, it suddenly stopped. Fang Zhou looked into the distance, but the dense vegetation and winding trees obstructed his and Gugu's line of sight, preventing them from seeing anything. With no other option, Fang Zhou could only remain on high alert, his hand tightly gripping the Crystal Ball, ready to cast a Skill at a moment's notice.

After a brief pause, the point of soul-light unexpectedly reversed its path and soon vanished beyond his Perception. Seeing this, Fang Zhou didn't pay it much mind. Probably just like that lone contestant from before, scared off by our numbers, he thought. After all, on a battlefield so full of unknowns and danger, anything could happen.

「」

"Elder! Elder!!"

"We've found them! The traces of the undead you mentioned!"

Elsewhere, a large number of Centaurs were resting within the dense forest. They were scattered among the trees, some nibbling on leaves, others conversing softly, their vigilance seemingly lowered during the short break. Suddenly, a short, sturdy Centaur Scout in light armor came galloping from a distance, shouting excitedly at an elder Centaur in the center of the group.

"Really? Where?!" the old Centaur asked eagerly, overjoyed at the news. A flicker of excitement appeared on his aged face, as if he had finally found an opportunity for revenge.

"Just a few hundred meters in that direction! There are thirty or forty of them," the Centaur Scout said, pointing.

If Fang Zhou could have seen him, he would have realized the Scout was pointing in his exact direction.

"Thirty or forty?" Upon hearing this, the Elder gave the order without hesitation. "Surround them! Don't let a single one escape!!"

At the Elder's command, the Centaurs sprang into action. Their footsteps were light, like a pack of leopards hunting under the cover of night. Under their Elder's leadership, all the Centaurs became valiant and fearless. Their faces held a crazed determination, fueled by a burning resolve for revenge.

The Centaur Elder's eyes were as deep as black holes, seeming to pierce through every leaf in the forest. Its nostrils flared slightly as it spoke to the Centaur Warrior guarding it, "Do you know why I am so determined to hunt them down?"

The Centaur Warrior hesitated for a moment and then shook its head.

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